A Farmer's Federation member demonstrates sheep shearing for a distinguished group in one of James McClure Jr.'s marketing efforts.

Written by

Rob Neufeld
| Visiting Our Past

The Fairview property acquired by Elizabeth and James G.K. McClure with romantic intuition in August of 1916 has evolved into a progressive enterprise run by their many descendants and in-laws.

When Elizabeth and James married in March of that year, he was just coming out of a sanatorium, recovering from overwork as a Social Gospel minister in the mining town of Iron River, Mich.

"I was born and brought up in a community of businessmen," he had reassured the local capitalists in his first Iron River talk, referring to Lake Forest, Ill., the Presbyterian model community for which his father, ...